Friends first!
by M. Love
Summary: James loves Lily but can never find her on her own away from Snivellus! But when Lily refuses to believe James when he tells her about Snape's deatheater wishes, the original trio set out to expose Snape and make Lily come to her sences! JamesLilySnape
1. Loving Lily

Lily Evan's red hair glinted in the sun as it blew in the wind, her nose in another one of her muggle books as she sat under the shade of a tree near the black lake. James approcahed her quietly, the warm air giving him the bravery to speak to her, he had finally found her alone, no Snape in sight.

"Hey Lily," he said as he stood in front of her looking down. Her green eyes met his and she gave no responce but turned back to her book.

"Can I help you, Potter?" she asked cooly, not looking up from her book.

"You could ask me to sit," James said back.

"By all means," she said. "But don't sit in my sun."

James sat down across from her on the bright green grass that stretched endlessly to the Hogwarts castle in the distance. He watched her for some time as she truned the page of her thick book.

"So, have you started that potions assignment Slughorn set us yesterday," he asked casually plucking few strands of grass from the ground.

"Yes," she replied. "Severus helped me, he's quite advanced in that subject."

It gave James' stomach a twinge of jealousy, he hated how much Lily trusted Snivellus! Everyone else but her could see he wanted to be a death eater! And the fact she hung out with him like she didn't care made her seem less like the great person he knew her to be.

"Why do you hang out with him," James asked before he could stop himself.

"Because he's not a trouble maker," Lily replied quickly.

"He soon will be," James replied.

Lily's head shot up and she stared at him with furious eyes.

"What do you mean by that?" she snapped, her eyes not moving from James'.

"Only that everyone knows he's training to be a death eater!" James replied sharply and suddenly Lily's face turned pale and her eyes grew wide.

"N-no he's not, Sever-rus is a good man," Lily tried to insist.

"No, he's not Lily! His whole family are known death eaters, and he himself wants to be one! I heard him gloating about the fact he's going to be able to become one by the time he's left Hogwarts to his friends!" James said and Lily got up, her book bound protectivly to her chest as she walked off in tears.

James ran up to her side and walked at the fast pace she walked, not daring to speak in fear of her turning her wand on him. Slowly she came to a stop just at the rim of the forbidden forest, a few meters from the Hagrid's hut. She turned to him, the tears still rolling down her cheeks.

"Are you really telling me the truth," she asked, voice trembling.

James bravely took out his hankerchief from his pocket and gave it to her, she wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Gryffindors never lie, Lily, where Slytherins often do."

She gave him back the cloth and he stuffed it into his robes, looking into her red and puffy green eyes.

"I'm going to ask him for myself," said Lily angrily, she suddenly turned and stormed back up towards the castle, her red hair sashaying behind her. She turned around and glared at James. "And if he tells me to my face that he is not a death eater, then I shall beleive him!"

"Slytherin's lie!" James yelled after her as she stormed away.

"And so do Potters!" she yelled back not turning around this time.

James kicked the dirt around him angrily as Lily became a red dot at the top of the hill. Snivellus _would_ lie to her, he's a slytherin, they lie and cheat to get their own way! Why didn't Lily see that about him? Why couldn't she see that James, the brave and true hearted Gryffindor was the one she truly deserved!

"Oh relax, Prongs," came Sirius' voice from behind James. "Your girlfriend will soon come to her sences!"

"Shut it, Padfoot!" James said, storming away from his friend and back towards the castle. He heard two sets of footsteps run up behind him and before he knew it both Sirius' and Remus' arms were around his shoulders.

"Ignore Padfoot, Prongs," Remus said in his usual soft voice. "We all know he's all worked up about Slughorn's latest test."

"She just believes him!" James ranted as they walked, still joined, up the stepping hill. "Anything he tells she believes to be true because unlike _evryone _else, Lily thinks the sun just shines out of Snivellus' arse!"

Sirius began to laugh but James's spirits were too damp to laugh, he loved Lily but for some reason she was following Snape blindly into a path of Death Eaters and he-who-must-not-be-named! That was not the path that Lily Evan's is meant to take, she's got too much spirit in her, too much love!

"Try to explain that to me, Moony," James asked his wise friend. "Is it love that blinds her?"

"Or maybe the imperious curse!" Sirius suggested.

"Its friendship, Prongs," Remus replied. "Like how you trust me even though I'm not what I used to be."

"But being a werewolf is not the same thing as being a death eater, Moony!" James insisted, they had come to a stop half way up the hill and now stood in a small crcle discussing it so that none of the other students could over hear.

"Yeah, exactly," agreed Sirius. "You had no choice, Snivellus does!"

"Its just that friendship is a special kind of bond," Remus said. "Maybe Lily thinks that if she just keeps loving Snivellus that he would change, and choose the _right_ path."

The thought of Lily actually _loving _Snape sickened James, of course, he knew that Snape fancied Lily. The thought of what Snape dreamt of late at night in his dorm room made James' stomach flip in revultion. But the idea that Snape, of all people, could love Lily in _that _way, well it was too much to bear.

He had begun to walk on when he felt Sirius' hand enclose tightly on his upper arm, dragging him back to where he once stood. Remus and James looked at their friend's face and saw that it had been twisted into the naughty smile he usually showed when his mind was building a scheme.

"I think I have a plan to make lil' ol' Snivellus fall from grace,' Sirius sad and they all shared the same devious smile as they straightened their robes out and agreed to meet in the shreiking shack later that night, to plan it.

**_(A/N) The next chapter you might recognise but i've written it in my own words somewhat, and put in my own spin on the whole thing. But its all to the sheer genious of_ _J. K. Rowling_**


	2. Snape falls

"Ok, so Moony, go over the plan again," Sirius said, holding up his potions book so Slughorn didn't see the three of them talking.

"When class finishes I stop Lily and talk to her about the new assignment," Remus said. "Snape goes down to the Black Lake because they always meet up there every friday afternoon."

"That's where Padfoot and I go down and levitate him until he tells the truth about him wanting to be a deatheater." James said, looking over at Snape who was busy making his potion.

"By then Lily and I will have reached you at the Black Lake, and she will be able to hear his confessions!" remus finished.

"Are you three paying attention?" Slughorn called from the head of the cless.

"Yes, of course, Proffesor," they said in time. James looked over at Lily who just rolled her eyes at them.

"Well done, Snape!" Slughorn cheered. "You are the only one in the class to have made the potoin correctly!"

"Hip hip hooray," Sirius muttered sarcastically.

Lily beemed over at Snape who smiled proudly, practically gloating, he turned to James who scowled along with Sirius and Remus and Snape cocked an eyebrow at them.

"Oh," fumed James through gritted teeth. "I can't wait to bring Snivellus down."

"Ok, class dismissed," Slughorn said as he fell down onto his chair.

James shoved Remus off towards Lily's chair as she packed up her stuff. Snape was doing the exact same thing and both boys reached her in time.

"Lily, I need some help with this assignment." Remus said calmly.

"But Lily and I are leaving," Snape said. "Aren't we, Lily?"

"I'll catch up with you, Severus," Lily said with a smile.

"Ok, I'll wait for you near the big tree." he said before skulking out of the room.

"Come on, Prongs," Sirius urged as he grabbed his arm and dragged him from the room. James took one last look at Lily who had her Potions book clutched to her chest as she and Remus smiled as they turned to walk out.

James and Sirius followed Snape as he wound his way up into the ground floor then out into the courtyard, and then down the sweeping hill towards the forbidden forest that went round the Black Lake. The sun beat down on them as they watched Snape from a distance, undetected. Snape stood at the base ofa large tree, his back facing them as he leaned against it and took in the beautiful scene.

"Let's get him," James whispered and they slolwy went round the tree so they could suprise him.

"Hey there, Snivellus!" James taunted, catching the attention of surrounding students. "Where's your girlfriend?" Snape just looked at him, looking embarassed and furious. "Finally dumped you did she?"

Everyone around him cracked up, all agreeing with James.

"Does anyone wanrt to see me lift Snivellus?" James called and the whole group cheered. Sirius had almost doubled over in fits of laughter as he watched Snape try and back away.

"Do it, Prongs," Sirius laughed, going red in the face.

"Levicorpus!" James shouted and Snape's books fell from hsi hands into the dirt as his feet went high into the air. The crowd all cheered James on as he swished Snape around.

"What do you want," Snape cried, trying to swing his arms out to take James' wand from him.

"Admit that you want to be a deatheater!" James replied, Sirius called insults at Snape so the crowd couldn't hear. James looked around and saw two small dots at the top of the hill who he assumed were Lily and Remus.

"Never! You just want Lily to hate me so you can get in her pants," Snape spat back and James wiggled his wand around so Snape's head lolled around, his pale face turning green.

"Admit you're into the dark arts!" James shouted but Snpae kept his mouth shut.

"Potter, you let me down now, you creep!" Snape shouted but James had no intention of letting Snape down until he admitted the truth. Well, that was until...

"Expelliarmus!" shouted Lily and James' wand went flying off into the distance.

There was a loud thud as Snape fell back down to earth, which made the crowd laugh even harder. Lily ran from Remus' side, the only man not laughing, and to Snape's side, her red hair falling around her face.

"Severus," she cried, offering her hand to help him stand up. He slapped it away, the laughing around James died down as Lily stood up straight, looking down at Snape hurtfully. Snape grabbed for his dirty books, avoiding everyone's eyes as his robes dirtied. "Here, let me help you," Lily said, bending over to grab some of Snape's scattered books.

"No!" Snape yelled, pushing her away from his books, she toppled backwards into Sirius's arms, her potions book falling into the dirt. A dead silence fell over the corwd as they stared at the seething Snape. Even Sirius and Lily stood stock still, Sirius bent over as he held Lily up right, her white socks becoming brown with dirt as she sat sprawled on the grass. "Don't help me! Just go away! You-you mudblood!" Snape spat and tears began to fall from Lily's eyes.

"You aren't who I thought you were," She cried.

"Padfoot, Moony, take Lily back to the Gryffindor common room," James instructed. They nodded and Sirius drew her into a standing position and helped her hobble up the hill, she cried into Sirius' shoulder as Remus followed by her side.

The whole crowd booed Snape as he sat silently on the ground, still staring at wide eys up at James who looked back proudly. James bent down and scooped up Lily's potion book that lay dusty on the ground. As he dd he lent in and whispered to Snape.

"You don't deserve her anyway," he hissed then stood up. He began to boo loudly at Snape, the crowd of students following suit, all of them hissing and booing at Snape who still hadn't gotten to his feet. James looked to his right and saw a group of Slytherin's walking up to the hissing crowd, probably coming to Snape's defence.

James grabbed his wand and walked up the hill after Lily, Remus and Sirius. Looking back at the tree to see the crowd booing after Snape who was limping back to the Slytherin dungeon with a group of his friends.

James walked in through the portrait hole and found Lily, hunched in a chair nearthe fire, crying into her hands. Remus stood by her side, patting her back in an effort to comfort her. Sirius shifted from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable.

"Hey," James said to Lily, kneeling infront of her chair. She looked at him, her eyes red and puffy like they had been the other day. "I can't help notice you wind up crying in my presence," he commented and she gave a small weak chuckle. He looked up at her smile and smiled too, "See, that's better!" he handed Lily her potions book, she took it from his hands and ran her trembling hand over its cover and broke down to tears again.

"Oh god," she cried. "You were right, James! You were right, he lied and said he didn't think that way! But he did and he _lied _to me and _you _told me the truth! I'm so sorry for ever doubting you!"

"Its ok, Lily," he said with a shrug, placing his hand on top of hers. "You know the truth now, that's all that matters."

"Thank-thanks James," she smiled. "You've been a real friend."

"And you two, thank you!" she said, looking up at Remus and Sirius.

"It was nothing, Lily." Remus said kindly.

"Yeah, I think Rebecca is up in your dorm," said Sirius.

"Oh thank god, she told me that Severus was a death-" she broke into tears again. "I'll go talk to her." she whimpered as she stood from the chair and walked up the stairs.

"The plan went off perfectly!" Sirius whispered.

"Does anyone else feel a little guilty?" James asked the other two.

"No," Sirius said. "She had to find out sooner or later."

"Yeah, Prongs," Remus agreed. "He was no good for her."

That night midnight was ticking nearer and nearer as James stayed up, worrying about how one earth he was going to finish his potions assignment on time when Rebecca Harrington stormed in terough the portarit hole.

"What's up," James asked, thankful to think of something other then potions.

"Snape is camped outside the portrait," Rebecca raved as she made her way to the stairs. "And threatening to camp out there all night until he can speak to Lily." she then ran up the stairs and disappeared behind the door leading into the girls' dormitories.

James imagined Snape standing there, going over some pathetic excuse over and over in his head until Lily showed up to shoo him away. Suddenly the door opened up again and Rebecca stormed back out again, followed by Lily in a sweeping red bathrobe and her feet in pink slippers. She smiled sleepily over at James before leaving through the portrait hole.

Rebecca sat down on the seat opposite James, tapping her foot agitatedly.

"That's distracting," James said, looking up at Rebecca who shot him a glare and looked back at the portrait hole.

"He's got some nerve showing his face around here," she fumed. "After pushing Lily, mark my words, if he tries this again I'll hex his arse!"

James gave up on trying to finish his assignment and figured he'd just make Remus do it for him. Rebecca continue dto thump her foot, staring at the back of the fat lady.

"But thank god you knocked some sence into her, James," Rebecca added, it was one of teh nicest things she had ever said to him.

"Uh, well, technically it was Snape who _knocked _some sence into her," said James with a snort of laughter. Rebecca glared at him for a few moments before Lily burst in through the portrait, not glancing back to where, presumably, Snape stood broken hearted.

"Did you give him what was coming to him,' Rebecca asked, James wondered if Rebecca's next question would be if she too could give Snape what he had coming.

"Yeah, in a sence, I'll tell yo tomorow, I'm a little tired." Lily said shrugging. Rebecca was disappointed, she stood up and walked up to the dorm. "What are you doing?" Lily asked once Rebecca had shut the door ebhind her. She sat down in the chair next to James, he showed her the practicaklly empty peice of parchment that was titled 'Potions Assignment'.

"Slughorn's assignment," He explained beginning to roll it up. "But I suck at Potions, I can't finish this on time."

"If you want I can help?" Lily offered, picking up one of James' spare quills. "I'm good at Potions."

"But I thought you were tired?" James said.

"Yeah, tired of talking about Severus," Lily explained. "But I never tire of school work."

"Yeah, some help would be great!" James exclaimed as he unrolled the parchment again.

As he and Lily worked tirelessly into the night, James wondered what their future held. He liked her more then all the other girls he had dated because she was smart and never actually really liked him from the moment they met on the train in first year. But now as she laughed at his jokes and was patient with him when he took forever to answer a simple question. James wondered if they would be more then Childhood sweethearts. Could it be possible that he was looking at his future wife and mother of his children? Only time would tell, but for now she was Lily Evans and she was helping him, James Potter, with his potions assignment...

The End

_**(A/N) I hope you like it, it was really short I know. Reviews rock!**_


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